


Before the Melange Gets Cold

by Estrella_Sebaek



Series: EXO - 1 Song 1 Story [9]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Busker Byun Baekhyun, EXO - 1 Song 1 Story, Flirting, Inspired by EXO’s song, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Solo Traveller Oh Sehun, disappeared, love again, love at first sight... is it?, they are both whipped for each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-12 00:41:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29376567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estrella_Sebaek/pseuds/Estrella_Sebaek
Summary: People often say it is easier to catch feelings for someone while one is alone in a foreign country. Baekhyun, a song-writer and busker, meets Sehun, a solo traveller, under the pretty yet unfamiliar vast sky of Vienna. He is no longer a believer in love at first sight after a failed relationship, still, he wonders if the foreign rendezvous with this attractive stranger will end up as an exception.How long does it take to fall in love? Perhaps, it’s the time for a coffee. Perhaps, it’s the duration of a song. Perhaps, it’s just the moment his gaze lands on him.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Oh Sehun
Series: EXO - 1 Song 1 Story [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1660081
Comments: 17
Kudos: 12





	1. Disappeared 01.

**Author's Note:**

> Since this is the month of the Valentines here is something light and relaxing to read (?). It’s the first time I write from first person’s perspective, I don’t know if it is a good idea but anyway lol I have always wanted to write a story that takes place in a foreign city, and, I think Vienna would be a nice one for this plot. I hope you will enjoy this foreign rendezvous!
> 
> BGM & Lyrics: Disappeared / Love Again - Baekhyun  
> Eng Lyrics @ mamoribaek / wavyjiwoo, KosmoSub@ZF
> 
> Featured songs: Lost Stars - Adam Levine / Memories - Maroon 5

✧  
_僕らは他人さ you and me  
We are just strangers, you and me  
たまたま重なった our story  
Occasionally adding more to our story  
ぐちゃぐちゃに脱いだシャツ 鳴りっぱなしのアラームサウンド  
Sloppily grabbing my discarded shirt as the alarm sound fills the room  
今夜どんな戯れに 身を任せてみようか  
What sort of game should I surrender myself to tonight?_

✧  
The gentle beam of sun woke me up, I get up from my bed unwillingly, rubbing my eyes. I go straight to the balcony to freshen up, soft Autumn breeze and moderate early morning sun, fresh air and clear sapphire sky, it is just a normal day in _Vienna_ , but it still looks like a perfect day to me. Without fine dust, without noisy crowds, without... _him_.

 _Something good is gonna happen today_ , I smile.

Stepping back into my room, I chuckle when I see my roommate, my friend since high school, also my co-worker, Chanyeol, drooling with a wide grin on his face. How is it possible to be this happy even in a dream? Anyway, he is the _happy virus_ Park Chanyeol so, it is not something impossible. Heading towards the bathroom, I hear the snoring from the other room, reminding me that my other two friends are probably still sound asleep too.

My mood is lightened by the promising weather. Feeling like dressing cute, I put on my favourite pink hoodie with a pair of black jeans. After double checking my appearance in front of the mirror, I wink at my mirror image, ready to start this perfect day with a fulfilling brunch at my favourite place.

✧  
If I have to name three things that made me fall in love with Vienna, that would be music, art and coffee shops. As a music major graduate now a song-writer, I always dream of coming over to Vienna to experience its classical vibes. I attended three operas and concerts during my stay so far and they were all amazing. The orchestra, the singing, the set, everything left me in awe. It is indeed the best decision urging them to come to Vienna with me.

And then there is art. All the large cities around the world that one can name have remarkable art museums and exhibitions. When there are people, there is art. I’m by no means an art expert, but it always occupies a special tiny corner in my heart. Music is what I do on a daily basis, it is what I love, what I devote myself in, it is my _passion_. Art is what I turn to when my passion suddenly runs short, when I am exhausted and unable to compose anything decent. I visit a museum whenever I lack inspiration, I stare at a painting that catches my attention, I sink into deep thoughts for half an hour, then I am at ease again. Hardly anyone can help when artists get stuck or face a bottleneck, they have to help themselves. Art is my healing space, it calms me at the same time motivates and inspires me.

Walking along _Schleifmühlgasse_ , a quiet district little away from city centre, I soon reach my destination, a cosy coffee shop which I have been in love with since the first time I visited. There are plenty of family photos hanged on the wall, vintage objects displayed close to the windowsill, old-fashioned sofas, coffee tables and lamps added a unique classy vibe into this modern city. It is quite empty at this hour, there are less than ten people inside. Before I settle down at my usual spot, I notice someone sitting at the other side. I blink my eyes several times to make sure that person is real, because he doesn’t look real at all.

 _Wow_. That’s all I manage to say. I can’t stop staring at his perfect face, and nice body. He is wearing a plain white T-shirt with a grey blazer, his wide shoulders well-displayed. Even if he is sitting I can tell he must be taller than average men, his legs hidden inside that pair of black pants must be exceptionally long. This man is gorgeous, like a model featuring on the covers of high-end fashion magazines. Even he is now frowning his brows, he looks hotter than anyone I have seen in my 28 years of life. _He looks lost while reading the menu, is he struggling with placing his order?_

I inhale deep, then I walk towards him and take the empty seat at the table adjacent to him. He notices me immediately, which is not unexpected, you don’t see a lot of Asian travellers during this low season.

“Hi, are you also from Korea?” I point at his travel guide written in Korean and ask casually, showing him my best smile, displaying a couple of my perfect teeth.

“Hmm, yes.” He gives me a short reply, but he is smiling too - which is a good sign. He looks even more attractive with a small smile on his face. I secretly murmur a _yesss_ in my heart while maintaining my calm expression.

“Do you need help with ordering? They don’t have English menu, I also struggled when I visited here the first time.” I offer to help, acting much more friendly than my usual self. 

“That would be great.” He lets out a sigh of relief, his smile turns wider. “I’m clueless what’s on the menu, the only words I understand are _expresso_ and _latte_.”

“Haha, that’s normal.” His clueless expression is adorably amusing. Handsome and cute, my first impression of him is beyond perfect. “What would you like to drink, do you like Americano?”

“Yes, I do.” 

“Then perhaps you can try _Verlängerter_. Do you want anything to eat? Cake or toast?” I show him the pictures displayed on the menu and let him choose.

“Toast with cheese and ham?” He adds a couple of seconds later, “thank you.”

“Sure.” I wave at Markus, the waiter I got to know after my few visits. He stops by our table and greets us with a friendly grin.

“ _Hallo Markus! Er möchte einen Verlängerter und einen Schinken-Käse-Toast bitte. (trans: Hello Markus! He would like to have a Verlängerter and a toast with ham and cheese, please.)_ ” I order with my limited and broken German learnt during these few weeks of stay. 

“ _Okay, und Wiener Frühstück mit Melange für dich? (trans: Okay, and Vienna Breakfast with Melange for you?)_ ” Markus asks, he remembers my order well. Being a boring person who prefers routines over surprises, I order the same food and drink once I found something I like.

“ _Genau, bitte. (trans: Exactly, please.)_ ” I turn around, my eyes back on the handsome guy sitting at the next table, inches apart. He is staring at me, and that makes my heart skip a beat. I scan through every single feature on his face, he definitely has the potential to become a celebrity. 

“You speak German? Do you live here?” He asks curiously, his low voice pulling me back onto the ground from my wilding thoughts.

“I can just order food, ask for directions and nothing else. I bet I mess up all the articles and conjugations, my grammar sucks.” I shake my head and snort, I absolutely hate grammar. “Anyway, I have been here for slightly over a month but I don’t live here. By the way, don’t you think we should at least exchange our names first? I’m Baekhyun.” 

“Ohhh right, sorry for being rude. I’m Sehun.” Sehun looks slightly embarrassed. “So you are also travelling on your own?”

“Ah, not really. I’m here with three friends, my co-workers to be exact. I’m a song-writer and they are either lyricist or producer. We used to take some weeks off, travelling to a foreign place to refresh our mind, write in a different environment, and share our music with people around the world.” I don’t know why, despite the quickening beating of my heart, I feel at ease talking with this attractive stranger, I have a growing urge to know more about him too. “What about you?”

“I don’t have a story as interesting as yours.” I notice the way he fixes his eyes on me. It mirrors the way I’m staring at him, I’m pretty sure. He pauses a bit before continuing, “I broke up with my girlfriend, so I come here alone... just to take a break I guess.”

 _Oooops, now that’s something unexpected._ Sehun looks calm, way too calm to be a person who just broke up. I bite my lips unintentionally, deciding how to respond to this piece of information.

Meanwhile, Markus comes and serves us our food and coffee, I quickly thank him with a _Vielen Dank_. 

“ _Guten Appetit, Sehun_.” My gaze meets his again, our eyes linger on each other longer and longer each time, I can feel my cheeks getting red at a dangerously fast pace. I fake a cough, turn around and cover my face.

“ _Guten Appetit, Baekhyun_.” He gives me another charming smile before he starts eating. I’m slightly relieved that he doesn’t seem to notice my awkward reaction.

✧  
After I’m satisfied with the delicious freshly baked croissant with apricot jam, I start sipping my Melange and Sehun breaks our comfortable silence. “How long are you gonna stay in Vienna?”

I put my coffee down, turns so that I can face him. “Probably for another two weeks or so. Usually our trip lasts for two to three weeks only, this time is... sort of an exception.” I bite my lips again, I hope he won’t ask why.

“I see, where have you been to before, and what makes you want to stay here longer?” Sehun asks, he sounds really curious about my life, more curious than necessary for a new acquaintance - it doesn’t sound intrusive though.

It looks like I can’t escape answering his questions. “We were in Verona last year, Auckland two years ago and...” I hesitate, “ _Kyoto_ the year before that. As for the reason for staying here longer than usual, I love this city and... guess I also need to have a break, like what you said.”

“You’re right. Vienna is a nice city, I just arrived two days ago so I’m yet to explore it.” His eyes are turning into crescents when he simpers at me, “it would be a _pity_ to walk around this amazing city on my own though.”

I continue sipping my Melange, decide to finish it before it gets cold. _Is he hinting something?_ I empty the cup and make up my mind. I have nothing to lose anyway, I’m the fearless Byun Baekhyun after all.

“We can hang out together, if you don’t mind.” I suggest in the most natural tone I could manage, but if he pays enough attention, my anticipation is trivial. “I may need to work a bit with my group and sometimes we busk in the park, but other than that I’m quite flexible.”

“That would be awesome.” Sehun agrees in a delighted tone, then he raises his brow, “did you just say you busk? When?”

“Yah, the next performance will be tomorrow afternoon. If you don’t have plans, feel free to come.” I hope I didn’t sound overly enthusiastic, I suck at hiding my emotions.

“I’d love to. You have a really nice and unique voice, I bet you must be the main vocal.” Sehun’s compliment makes me blushed, it has been quite a while since I have felt this way. 

My heart flutters with every word he says, every little gesture he makes, every time our gazes meet. This is insane, we hardly know each other at all and he isn’t even trying to flirt with me, but I’m already head over heels for him.

Meanwhile, his mobile rings and a familiar female singer’s voice is heard.

_다시 한번 내게 말해줘  
Please tell me once again  
다시 그날처럼 사랑한다고 해줘  
Tell me again that you love me just like that day _

My eyes widened momentarily when I heard this song, I can’t stop myself but smile contentedly. He turns to me and apologises after the call finishes, “I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay. You are right though, I’m not really proficient in playing instruments, so I can only pick up the mic and sing.” I joke, “by the way, do you like _Byul_?”

“I’m not her fan, but I like this song in particular. The melody, lyrics and arrangement are all perfect. Whenever I listen to it at night, I usually get a good sleep afterwards.” Sehun explains and my heart races again. 

“I also like this kind of music, mid-tempo contemporary R&B, best for late evening drive.” I take a quick glance at my phone, it’s past noon already, meaning we have been chatting for over an hour. It’s time for me to return for our afternoon practice session. 

“Hey, Sehun, it’s really nice talking to you. I have rehearsal in the afternoon so I need to go now.” I smile and pass him my phone, “may I have your number?”

“Of course.” Sehun takes my phone and quickly enters his number, he dials his own number and makes sure mine is properly saved before returning my phone to me.

“I’ll text you the exact time and location later. Have a nice day. _Tschüss_.” I settle the bill and leave the coffee shop with a wide grin on my face.

✧  
On my way back to the apartment, I look up, eyeing the sky overhead blurring blue and white. 

Perhaps, it means a new beginning for me. Hopefully.

_Baby いつもどおり 責めりゃいいのに くちびるが "It's over"  
Baby even though we bicker as always, the words from your lips say, “It’s over”_

I fell in love with someone in Kyoto three years ago. He left me last year without saying a word, he just _disappeared_. 

Now, I meet Sehun whom I feel oddly attracted to in Vienna. I no longer believe in _love at first sight_ , yet, I hope this time, he will stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to supplement, Byul is an original character (a female singer) and Love Again (Sehun’s ringtone) is her song in this story. Although this is rather short, I hope you enjoyed Sebaek’s first encounter. I’ll update weekly and, Happy Valentine’s Day in advance!


	2. Disappeared 02.

✧  
_コーヒーの香りのように ほら disappear disappear  
Just like the scent of coffee, hey disappear disappear  
街の灯りのように ほら disappear disappear  
Just like the lights in the town, hey disappear disappear  
こぼれ落ちても気づかない  
Even if it were to all spill over, no one wouldn’t notice  
音も立てずに 消える  
Without a sound, it all disappears  
ほら disappear disappeared  
hey disappear disappeared_

✧  
I arrive my apartment, head still full of Sehun and his low yet gentle voice. His gentleness is consistent, it was the same when he threw me follow-up questions on each and every single thing I mentioned, when he subtly hinted on wanting to hang out together, and when he lightly touched on his past relationship. 

Noticing the mess in the kitchen, the trio probably finished their lunch and are now getting ready for the practice. I join them in the living room and start adjusting the volume of my mic.

“Let’s decide which songs to perform tomorrow first. Same as usual, three English songs and three Korean or Japanese songs?” Chanyeol, music producer and our passionate guitarist, asks. “I’m gonna sing _Creep_.”

“ _Sunday Morning_ and _Beautiful Goodbye_ for me then.” Jongdae, who is a lyricist and plays keyboard in our band, adds. In my opinion, he has the most amazing voice in this world, I fall for his soothing yet powerful vocal over and over ever since we have known each other. 

“Alright, I’ll sing the unreleased demo I made last month, gotta think of a title though.” Shinichi, whom we usually just call by his nickname Shin, follows. He is a Japanese lyricist and is a profession percussion player. His cajón is his life and anyone who dares to touch it without his permission will definitely have to pay the price. “What about you, Baek?”

“Well, I’m planning to sing _Lost Stars_... and...” I hesitate a bit, but eventually mention a song which they must not have expected, “ _Disappeared_.”

The room suddenly becomes dead quiet, it’s like all of them have been put on mute. They look at each other first then all turn and stare at me, question mark on their face. 

_Disappeared_ is a song I composed shortly after my Japanese boyfriend left me, the lyrics was written by Shin. I was barely surviving the first couple of months after the breakup. I couldn’t hear music, all that echoed in my mind was the cracking sound of my heart breaking into pieces. Our sweet melody started with a chain of semiquavers, and it ended in an infinite rest. Everything narrowed down to silence, diminished to nothingness. Although the song’s arrangement has been completed, I have never sung it, not even once, my broken heart didn’t allow me to.

“It has been almost a year, it’s not a big deal anymore.” I smile. I’m not lying, time heals everything. It was difficult, but it eventually passes.

The first time we met, I was performing in Kyoto. I noticed someone snapping photos of me, with a high-profiled camera instead of a phone. I tried to ignore him, but the flashlight was rather distracting. When I finished the last note and our eyes met, I realised his sharp gaze was far more distracting than the flashlight.

We became close without particular reasons, it somehow seemed logical, that we also drifted apart without particular reasons. Maybe he just found a better model to take photos of, or maybe not. In any case, I will never find out why he left, and it doesn’t matter anymore.

I didn’t miss the doubtful expression my band mates are trying so hard to hide, so I reassure them, “don’t worry, I’m fine. Let’s get started, guys.”

During our break, I take my phone out and send Sehun the details of our performance the next day. I get a reply almost instantly.

 _Thanks, see you tomorrow. I really look forward to it ;)_

A few seconds later, my phone vibrates again. Sehun sends me a selca he took in front of _Stephansdom_.

_Doing touristy check-in. This Cathedral is gorgeous._

I crack up staring at the selca he sent me, he takes selca with the weirdest angle, yet his face still looks incredibly handsome. Life is really not fair. I can’t stop smiling when I press the button to save his photo.

“What are you looking at? You are grinning like an idiot!” Chanyeol grabs my phone with his large hand and smirks while looking at it. His round eyes widen when he sees Sehun’s photo.

 _Oooh no, I’m not ready to share his flawless face with any of you yet._ I roll my eyes and take my phone back, “shut up. That’s none of your business.”

“Who’s that guy? He is pretty hot.” Chanyeol is not the type to give up easily, he will keep asking until he gets the answer, so I surrender unwillingly.

“Just a Korean I met this morning in the coffee shop. I invited him to watch our performance tomorrow.” I shrug and decide to switch topic. “Let’s resume practice. No more questions.”

_Looks like you are enjoying yourself. I’m about to start my practice again, talk later!_

I quickly reply and put my phone down. The practice goes on for another two hours, all of them keep throwing me suspicious glances. I sigh and escape from the apartment right after the practice ends to avoid questions.

_Have you finished your practice? I’m about to go and grab some food, wanna join?_

I know, I’m grinning like an idiot again as per Chanyeol, but I just can’t help myself. I reply, typing at double of my usual speed.

_Sure, let’s have some street food at Naschmarkt. I’ll send you the location :)_

✧  
Time spent with Sehun passes quickly, one hour is gone in the blink of an eye. Sehun told me he studied finance in a top-tier university and is currently working in a bank. A typical elite with remarkable resume and bright future awaiting. He looks like one too, smart, but not arrogant, and this for sure adds extra points to his already perfect scorecard.

On top of that, I realise he is a natural flirter. He makes my heart pounding with just a few words of compliment or a simple friendly gesture. My body temperature spikes up whenever he is gazing, I wonder if I’m able to handle any physical contact with him, just the thought of having his arms around me gives me chills. I’m probably overthinking, but at the same time, I know I’m secretly craving for it. _Argh, what a dilemma._

Exactly a minute after I enter my apartment and take off my shoes, my phone vibrates.

_Thanks for this wonderful evening, your presence doubles my happiness. Sleep well and see you tomorrow ;)_

He is flirting again. I’m screaming mentally right now, I have barely known him for a day and my heart is already beating as if I have finished running a marathon. I _really_ need to stop acting like a teenager, I take a few deep breaths to calm myself. 

_Byun Baekhyun, think rationally._ Isn’t this too much for someone who just broke up with his girlfriend and flew 15 hours here for a solo healing trip? How can he flirt with a complete stranger so naturally? Is it something he often do?

I bite my lips, my bad habit whenever I’m stressed, worried or confused. I’m too deep into my thoughts that I didn’t notice Jongdae is walking towards me. Luckily it’s not Chanyeol, I know he is gonna preach for 30 minutes straight.

“Did you just meet him again... that hot guy?” Jongdae asks, trying to sound casual.

“His name is Sehun, we just had a quick dinner.” I respond. “Dae, I know what you wanna say.”

“We are just worried about you.” He pats my shoulder gently. “We don’t want you to get hurt again.”

“Don’t worry, I learnt my lesson.” I smile at him, “it’s late now. Let’s have more rest and get ready for tomorrow.”

“Okay, good night then.” Jongdae gives me a quick hug and returns to his room.

I look at Sehun’s message once again, wait until the exhilarating feeling dies down before I start typing. I wanted to say _likewise, your presence doubles my happiness too,_ but eventually decided against it.

_Glad that you enjoy it. Good night!_

One thing for sure, I’m not gonna let myself get hurt this time.

✧  
“Guys, are you ready?” Chanyeol asks after making sure all the instruments are set up properly. “Baek, you keep spacing out.”

I didn’t say anything, because I am indeed spacing out. I can’t help glancing here and there after Sehun texted me saying he just arrived. We are going to perform at _Resselpark_ , right outside the _Karlskirche_. There are already some small groups of people gathering, waiting for us. 

I finally locate the tall figure underneath a tree, at a far corner. Dressed in a checkered shirt and tight blue jeans, he looks even better than yesterday. He has the perfect face, the perfect body, even the perfect smile. 

Sehun literally has _everything_ I like and want in a man. 

Our eyes meet, he smiles and waves at me. My brain is not functioning, it took me three seconds before I wave back at him.

_I think I am in deep trouble._

“So that’s the hot guy? I see why you act like this, he is totally your type.” Jongdae laughs cheerfully while nudging me.

“Shut up. We are about to start, remember not to say anything weird.” I pout and go back to where my mic is, ignoring Jongdae’s tease. 

After double checking everyone is ready, I turn on my mic and greet the crowd in English. “Good afternoon everyone, thanks for joining us under this nice weather. Autumn in Vienna is really comfortable and relaxing, I often feel like the soft wind blows away all my worries and sadness. Coincidentally, our band is also called 미풍 _(mipung)_ , which are the Korean words for breeze. We are a group of music producers from South Korea who travels to a new city each year to perform. It’s our honour to be able to share our music with you here, I hope our music will be like gentle breezes, surrounding you and giving you comfort. I’m the main vocal, Baekhyun, and I’m gonna start today’s performance with a song I love a lot. _Lost Stars._ Thank you.”

I close my eyes and let my body groove along the rhythm and the lively guitar intro, then I open my eyes and start singing, my body, soul and mind all indulging in the soothing melody. I feel empowered, someone wants me to tell a story, convey certain feelings with my voice. While injecting my emotions into every single word I sing, I turn my head and meet each audience’s eyes. Their attentive stares, clapping hands, swinging bodies, everything that demonstrates they are having an enjoyable time is so satisfying to see. Each gesture encourages me to put more emotion into the song. I let my voice flow freely with the support of the guitar and cajón.

_God, tell us the reason youth is wasted on the young  
It's hunting season and the lambs are on the run  
Searching for meaning  
But are we all lost stars, trying to light up the dark?_

I have avoided looking at Sehun the whole time while I was singing, I know I’m gonna screw up if I see his face. Yet, even I didn’t turn towards his direction, I could feel a certain pair of eyes fixing on me, his gaze is not just attentive, but also _aggressive_.

_But are we all lost stars, tryin’ to light up the dark?_

When the last chord finishes, I bow and thank the audience. Exchanging position with Shin who is going to perform the next song, I sit on the cajón and finally meet Sehun’s gaze. Realising I’m looking at him, he immediately shows a bright smile and raises his thumb. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach, I could feel my heart thumping fiercely, I could hear my voice repeating _Byun Baekhyun, you are in deep trouble._

I don’t think I’m capable of stopping myself from falling more and more for him.

I inhale deeply and force my attention back to the performance. I play the cajón for the next two songs and the performance goes smooth. Even we sing in a language they do not understand, they still show their support and that’s indeed heart-warming.

It soon reaches the last song, I return to the centre and greet the audience again. “Time really passes quickly isn’t it? We are going to conclude today’s performance with the last song. I composed this song last year after something... _happened_. This song is in Japanese and the lyrics was written by Shin. I think the most unique thing about music is that it tells a story in an universal language, even you don’t understand the lyrics, I hope you can feel the emotions behind this story. My last song, dedicated to _someone who used to be special to me. Disappeared_.”

_ありきたりな結末だ hate it  
It always ends the same way, hate it  
まるでtrickが冴えない mystery  
Just like a trick just a boring mystery  
抜け殻に君のsmile 探してみる I don't know why  
I try searching for that hidden smile under your exterior I don’t know why  
これまでと同じだ 元のふたりに 戻っただけ  
After this we will just go back to how we were before_

I close my eyes again, all sorts of memories start flooding back. When this song was first made, I couldn’t even finish recording one verse without bursting into tears, I collapsed onto the floor when I cried _gimme love, gimme love_ desperately, almost begging. That was embarrassing, but those hopeless cries were also part of my life. 

_浮かび上がるフラッシュバックは 何故かみんな優しい顔をしてるよ  
It’s all coming back to me, in a flashback somehow everyone smiling  
やがてそっと love is gone why gone  
But before long, love is gone, why gone_

_Bygone is bygone,_ maybe that’s the teaching I’ve learnt over the past year. I have to let it go before I can embrace a new beginning.

_音も立てずに 消える  
Without a sound, it all disappears  
ほら disappear disappeared  
hey disappear disappeared_

Just like that, he disappeared, and our relationship vanished. Just like that, I fell, and I stood once again. Just like that, the last note stops, and our performance ends. I hear the booming applause from the audience, some of them are taking pictures and videos of us, some are cheering and waving their hands. We bow and thank them once again, all of us satisfied with our performance.

“You did well, Baek, I thought you are never ever gonna sing that song.” Jongdae pulls me close for a hug, “It is a gem, I’m glad that it is not being hidden from the world.”

I smile back, “I agree.” Then I notice, among the crowd of people who are leaving, Sehun is still standing silently at that corner. Our eyes meet once again, my whole body is frozen when I see him approaching.

“You did an excellent job, as expected, your voice is amazing.” Sehun praises me in a sincere tone. My cheeks are blushing, I could feel blood rushing to my face. Then, I hear the mischievous giggles from the annoying trio.

“Thanks for coming today.” I respond timidly. It’s so not like myself, getting shy over one single compliment. The giggles behind me are getting louder, I turn around and glare at them.

“I... thought of buying you some flowers, but I don’t know if you like that, I don’t want to scare you.” Sehun chuckles, his adorable face sends my heart racing again. I can’t imagine what will happen if he gives me a bunch of flowers in front of everyone, I will probably pass out.

“No worries, he _loves_ flowers. _Champagne roses_ will be perfect.” Chanyeol suddenly approaches us, winking while he speaks.

“Yahhh! Park Chanyeol!” I pretend to hit his shoulder and push him away, I turn back only to find Sehun’s eyes turning into smiling curves.

He steps closer to me and mumbles in a way that only I can hear what he is saying, “you are cute.” 

I’m certain my face is as red as a tomato now, I need to escape before he finds something else to compliment me. I’m completely defenceless against his sincere praises, his attractive smile, basically his whole presence. Ignoring his words, I thank him once again and tell him we need to pack the instruments and go back to our apartment. We agree to meet again after he returns from his short road trip.

 _Sigh._ I seriously need to take this opportunity to calm myself down.

✧  
“Byun Baekhyun, you have been staring at your phone like you life depends on it. You are hopeless.” Jongdae has been teasing me pretty much the whole day, and before I deny, my phone vibrates again.

Sehun is travelling around the _Danube Valley_ area while we are busy with some urgent work popping up out of nowhere. Another selca taken at a weird angle, it amuses me every time he sends a selca. I make a mental note I must laugh at him in person next time we meet. Nonetheless, I didn’t forget to save his photo, and of course, I _press the heart icon_ to make sure it (and all others selcas he sent me) ends up in my favourite folder.

“Can’t you just focus on your work? You need to submit the revised version today, don’t you?” I respond while looking at Jongdae with my murderous yet harmless glare.

“I thought you are gonna help me on that, I made the amendments already.” He pouts and stares back at me with his sad kitten face.

“Yah, alright, show me.” Putting my phone on the table, I take the seat next to Jongdae and start checking the lyrics he just revised.

We have a couple of conference calls with the team in Korea and the several urgent tasks are all duly completed. Sitting at the corner of a traditional Austrian cafe, I’m having a short late afternoon break after these few days of restless work, I take a sip of my Melange and look outside, observing the pedestrians. 

Sehun’s face keeps appearing in my mind, that man walking on the street is of similar height as Sehun, that one who just got off his car is wearing a checkered shirt similar to Sehun’s, that one who just entered the coffee shop and sat a few tables away has the same gentle smile as Sehun’s... Sehun is everywhere, he is everything I see. 

It has only been three days since I’ve last seen him, we have known each other for not even a week. Yet, our conversation hardly ever stops, we never run out of topics to discuss. I can’t get him off my head, even if I am distracted for a while my mind will eventually find its way back to this single thought, this single person, Sehun, only Sehun, nothing else but _Sehun_. 

_I think I really, really am in deep trouble._

I have slightly over a week’s time here, I wonder what is gonna happen between us.

It’s my habit to finish up my coffee rather quickly in order to preserve the best hot taste. The moment I take the final sip, I receive another message from Sehun.

_I’m heading back to Vienna tonight, wanna meet up tomorrow?_

I put my empty coffee cup down and reply with full speed, my eagerness is evident. 

_Of course, I’d love to. See you tomorrow!_

✧  
How long do you think it takes to fall in love?

I would say, _5 minutes and 6 seconds_ , the time I took to finish a cup of Melange sitting besides him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I wrote “Sehun literally has _everything_ I like and want in a man”, I mean it whole-heartedly!!! I hope you like this update although there is not much... progress (?) yet. Things are moving slowly, but do expect some flirty moments coming up :)


	3. Love Again 01.

✧  
_믿을 수 없었지 너의 모든 것에  
I can’t believe everything about you  
Like looking in the mirror  
닮아 있던 우리  
We are becoming similar  
사랑을 말해주던 그 예쁜 입술이  
The pretty lips that said that you love me  
꾹 잠궈진 듯 아무 말 없네  
Now don’t say any words, as if locked _

✧  
_I’m heading back to Vienna tonight, wanna meet up tomorrow?_

I sent Baekhyun a text before driving back to Vienna from _Melk_. We have been texting basically all day long the past few days, none of us had the intention to let our conversation die, but toying with flirty words over electronic devices is nowhere close to enough for me. I am becoming greedy, I crave for his company and attention, I want to talk to him in person and get to know every single detail about him. Falling for someone at first sight isn’t really a typical _Oh-Sehun thing_. Yet, it’s so hard to hold myself back, Baekhyun’s tenderness, his droopy eyes, the rectangular smile on his face and the melodic way he speaks... I can continue this list overnight and make it as long as the _Danube River_.

_Of course, I’d love to. See you tomorrow!_

His replies usually come quickly unless he is busy with work, and I take this as a positive sign. _See you tomorrow, can tomorrow come faster? Why didn’t I suggest a late night drink?_ I have a hard time battling with my burning urge to drive to his place directly. Eventually deciding against this impulsive idea that could potentially scare him away, I stay inside my car, thinking about our _date_ tomorrow while taking some time to still my mind. There are a few restaurants I have bookmarked, probably I should reserve one of them for dinner. _Oh, didn’t his friend mention champagne roses?_ Maybe I should pass by the flower shop nearby tomorrow morning too.

The more little thoughts running through my mind, the more I’m thrilled about tomorrow, I can’t wait to see his endearing smile again. 

✧  
I arrive the restaurant Baekhyun picked at the city centre and find him already sat down. Baekhyun looks different today, he always dressed in comfortable hoodies the few times we met, but he is wearing a dress shirt with painting print and a pair of black tight pants, his styled hair makes him extra hot.

“You’re staring.” He chuckles. _Is it just my imagination, that he looks prettier than three days ago?_

“You look different today, but I really like your shirt, it looks good on you.” I like praising him, and I like seeing him blush because of my compliments more. 

“Thanks, I just feel like dressing up in a more... hmmm... how should I say it, artistic? Yah, a more artistic way, since we are going to the museum.” His cheeks are still blushing and that’s cute. There isn’t a moment that he isn’t cute anyway.

We finish our brunch and I follow him to our destination, the _Albertina_. Baekhyun highly recommends this place since this is his favourite art museum in Vienna. We enter the hall of one of the permanent exhibition, _Monet bis Picasso_. We are both astonished by the comprehensive collection of art work displayed all over the exhibition hall.

Baekhyun reads the description in details, then he takes a thorough look at the painting before moving on to the next one. While he is trying to read through a painting, I am trying to read him. I can tell from his attentive gaze that he is genuinely interested in art, and that attracts me even more. 

I notice he has been staring at a certain painting for quite some while, so I approach him and ask, “do you like this one?”

“Yah, _Monet_ is my favourite painter. You know, the name _Impressionism_ is derived from a title of his painting.” Baekhyun responds with his soft voice, still staring at Monet’s _Water Lily Pond_.

“Why do you like this style in particular?” I inquire, out of curiousity. 

“Hmmm.. its subtlety maybe? It’s the way that painters are able to capture the scenery in a natural and harmonious way with short strokes and distinct colours. They don’t really focus on every single detail, but the paintings usually end up being quite rich and complicated. I’m not an expert, I simply enjoy the calmness impressionist paintings bring me.”

“That’s interesting, I thought you would like something more expressive, looks like I don’t know you well enough.” I admit with a laugh.

“Come on, we have known each other for less than a week.” He shrugs his shoulder, even his giggles sound pretty like a sonata. “What about you?”

“Hmmm, I only know the big names, but I’m quite fond of _Picasso_.” I respond. We just entered the part of exhibition where a couple of Picasso’s paintings are hanged on the wall.

“Ahha, it’s you who prefers expressionist paintings, I guess we really can’t judge a book by its cover.” Baekhyun titters, “Picasso’s art is indeed impressive. He was constantly changing his painting style, it kept evolving during different stages of his life - there’s a reason why he is one of the most acclaimed painters in the world.” He nods approvingly while staring at Picasso’s _Mediterranean Landscape_.

“Yes, I like the fierce emotions you could feel when you look at his paintings, and, his unique surrealist and abstract touch of course.” I find the completely opposite attitudes we have towards art interesting.

Baekhyun smiles at me, looking gentle like an angel. We continue walking in parrallel, sinking into an unobtrusive silence, having our own thoughts running in our heads. We end up spending almost three hours at the museum. After a short rest, we spend some time wandering around the city centre, admiring its beauty and tranquility. 

Baekhyun keeps teasing me about the selcas I sent him. I admit I have zero talent in taking photos of myself, but that’s indeed the best excuse to urge him demonstrate how he usually takes a selca. My phone now has 20 new selcas of him, taken at perfect angles with perfect facial expressions. I joke and call him the _selca master_ and we both crack up in the middle of the street. 

My heart is clogged, it beats so fast when Baekhyun wraps his arm around my shoulders so we can squeeze into the tiny frame when taking a selca together. His touch and refreshing cologne stir my nerves and bring me brand new feelings I never experienced until now, I wonder if he feels the same. I want to hold him so badly, but it is still too soon for a move like that. _Alright, patience, Oh Sehun, patience_.

✧  
Approaching dinner time, I lead Baekhyun to the restaurant I booked. I ask him to take a seat first, then I quickly rush to the flower shop and get the bouquet I ordered this morning. The champagne roses are wrapped nicely in oak-coloured paper. I thank the shop owner and return to the restaurant.

Baekhyun is sitting on a red velvet couch, reading the menu. When he hears my footsteps, he raises his head and his mouth widens when he sees the bunch of roses. He is so adorable and easy to read, his emotions are written all over his face. I can tell he is shocked, thrilled, and perhaps little bit _touched_ as well.

“This is a gift for your wonderful performance. I hope you’ll like it.” I pass the bouquet to him before taking my seat opposite to him.

“Oh my... Sehun, that’s so kind of you!” Baekhyun holds the bouquet carefully, cheeks slightly blushed. His dazzling smile turns wider when he touches the roses one by one. “This is the most beautiful bouquet I’ve ever received. You have good colour sense. Thank you so much.”

“I’m glad that you like it. Looks like I have put myself into a difficult position though.” I respond with a wink. “I need to surprise you with something even better next time.”

I secretly praise myself, it’s a good start, and now I need to keep up the momentum. 

“Count how many roses are there.” I smile and wait for him to count.

“Hmmm, 10?” He looks at me with a slight pout and a confused expression.

“Do you know what that means?” I find his facial expression amusing. He shakes his head and I urge him to look that up online.

I know he has seen the answer when he face reddens further. 

“Sehun...” He immediately covers both his cheeks with his hands.

10 roses symbolise _you are perfect_.

Satisfied with Baekhyun’s reaction, I decide stop teasing for now and let him calm down a bit. When the food and drinks arrive, we clink our glasses and start enjoying our dinner. 

“The steak is really delicious. Thanks for bringing me here.” Baekhyun sounds contented, I praise myself again for picking the right place.

“That’s right, it is well-made and totally exceeds my expectation.” I take a sip of my red wine and ask, “did I choose the right wine for you?”

“Yes, _Merlot_ is perfect.” Baekhyun responds as he quaffs his wine. 

“So even though we have different taste in art, we do have similar taste in wine, the easy-drinking type, huh?” We both chuckle, the relaxed ambience of the restaurant and the bossa nova music lighten up our mood, I already feel tipsy after half a glass of wine.

Noticing he has finished his food, I take the wine glass, walk towards him and sit on the red velvet couch, right besides him with our thighs almost touching. I take another sip and look straight into his eyes. “Since we are done with the food, can we talk a bit more? I’m curious about the story behind _that song_.”

I see hesitance in his eyes, he gulps down some wine hurriedly, “a secret for a secret, answer my question first, then I will decide whether I should tell you mine or not.”

I stare at his moving lips, each word coming from his mouth in his soft voice echos around my head. I nod, “whatever you want to know.”

“Why are you so calm after your break-up? I thought you are here to heal yourself, but you don’t look hurt at all.” He asks causally, but I think the question he really has in his mind is, _why am I flirting with him like this if I just broke up_.

“I guess I didn’t make myself clear that day. We broke up over a year ago but I never got a chance to take a long vacation until now due to work commitment. Symbolically it is still a healing trip, but the hurt feelings are long gone.” I scoot closer to him and whisper, “does this answer your question?”

I can feel his body shivers when I suddenly approach him, he is avoiding eye contact too. “Why did you break up?”

“We just didn’t click. She used to be an intern of the bank I’m working at, she joined another bank after graduation. Despite being in the same industry, she never seemed to understand me, she often blamed me whenever I was busy. She said I was boring and cold to her. For me, I didn’t really feel the spark between us. I guess four years of age difference did make things little challenging.” I hope telling Baekhyun everything is not a wrong decision, I just don’t feel like hiding anything from him.

“I see, that could be quite tricky, but I can’t imagine you being boring and cold.” He finally turns and faces me again. 

“It depends on who I am with actually.” I lean on the sofa, tilting my body slightly towards him. “We barely share any common interest. She gave me a cold-eyed stare whenever I started talking about things like art or literature, she wasn’t really a career-oriented person so we seldom discussed work or ambitions, she didn’t care about current affairs neither. I just found our relationship... difficult to maintain.” 

He sends me a knowing smile and continues sipping his wine. I volunteer to refill our glasses when both are emptied. Returning to the couch, the alcohol in my body is encouraging me to make a bold move, I wrap my arm around his shoulders and whisper into his ear again. “Then, are you gonna tell me about your _special one_?”

“He is a Japanese photographer.” There was a few seconds of silence before he answers, “I met him in Kyoto when we were performing. We fell in love pretty quickly, he followed me back to Korea but unfortunately things didn’t work out the way I wanted it to be. He left me without a word, he just disappeared from my world completely. I don’t even know if I have done anything wrong, or if he just didn’t love me anymore.” I didn’t miss his frustrated sigh and the bitter smile on his face.

“That must be tough.” I pull him slightly closer, he didn’t resist, “why would someone leave an adorable person like you?”

“I... honestly don’t know.” He must be feeling light-headed after the second glass, he leans his head on my shoulder and settles one hand on my thigh, stroking back and forth tardily.

I feel like every single inch he touches starts to catch fire. I lower my arm from his shoulder all the way to his waist, moving at a pace same as his hand on my thigh. I stare at him, he stares back. He caresses me, I caress him back. We keep this little flirting ping-pong game going, testing bit by bit how far each of us allows the other to go. 

“Sehun...” He calls my name breathily, turns his head up and stares at me, “you really think I’m adorable?”

Our faces are just few inches apart from each other’s, I can smell his refreshing cologne again. His eyes are sparkling right in front of me, his stare is alluring, it draws me in, empties my head till the only thing left in my mind is him, _only him_. 

“Yes, you are.” I whisper again, breathing into his ear, “you are _irresistibly_ adorable.”

He giggles after feeling my heavy breaths on his earlobe, “that tickles.”

I do that once again and tease him, “so you are sensitive over there, huh?”

“Shut up.” He tries to push me away, I immediately object by wrapping another hand on his waist, I say nothing but keep staring at him.

We stay like this for almost a minute, he bites his lips, casts a short glance at me and then looks away. “Why are you staring at me like this...”

“I thought you asked me to shut up, so I decide to just stay still and admire your pretty face.” I laugh when he glares at me.

“You’re so annoying.” He hits my thigh, but I notice he is in fact smiling.

We only realise we have been chatting for over two hours when the waiter comes and reminds us that the restaurant is about to close. We leave the restaurant after settling the bill, both of us grinning, obviously enjoying our time together. 

✧  
Vienna at night is quiet and empty, it becomes more chilly than daytime. I wrap my arm around Baekhyun’s shoulders to block the wind blowing from my direction. We stop at the entrance of the hotel I stay in, gazing at each other. My heart is racing so rapidly that I can hear it beating aloud. My mind isn’t functioning properly due to the effect of the alcohol, all I know is I don’t want this wonderful night to end so soon, I want him to stay longer. 

Without thinking thoroughly, I pull him close for a tight hug and mumble into his ear while stroking his back, “wanna come upstairs for a coffee?”

I can feel his body suddenly tenses up, he backs away and looks at me. It is the first time in this week that I’m not able to read his expression. 

_Shit, did I just screw this up in the worst and dumbest way?_

“No, Baekhyun, I don’t mean it that way... I...” I run out of words to defend myself for sounding too suggestive, I would have misunderstood too if I were him, especially when I have been making such obvious moves on him and being so touchy the whole time. 

He keeps fixing his eyes on me, then his usual smile gradually appears on his face and he says half-jokingly, “who would want a coffee at half-past eleven?”

“Sehun.” He steps closer and takes my hand, “let me make myself clear. We are both adults, I know what is going on between us. Even that’s not your intention, I know what we will end up doing when we are both pretty drunk. I don’t want to be just a hookup buddy with someone I’m... _attracted to_.”

_Did I hear it correctly? He just admitted that he is attracted to me?_

“So you are attracted to me too?” I ask, immediately pulling him back to my embrace, stroking his soft hair.

“You keep saying things that send my heart leaping, how can I not?” He raises his head and our gazes meet again. 

He has the perfect height for me to hug and kiss. Forget about the latter, I will settle for only a hug for now.

“I’m sorry if that sounded rude, but I didn’t mean it.” I apologise, “I guess I’ve lost my mind in front of someone who is _irresistibly adorable_.” 

“Treat me a nice meal next time, then I’ll decide if you deserve to be forgiven.” I feel much relieved when he is still speaking in his usual tone. 

“Sure, I’d love to. Should I walk you home now?” 

“That’s fine. My apartment is just two streets away. It’s late, just go back, wash up and rest.” He raises his flower bouquet, “thanks again for the roses. Good night.”

“Be careful then, text me when you arrive. It’s quite windy now, drink some hot water when you are back. Take a hot bath and sleep well. Good night.” 

He laughs at my long-winded reminders and responds with an _okay_ sign, he waves his hand, signalling me to go back to the hotel.

_I arrived, gonna take a bath now! Sleep well, Sehun._

After a hot shower, I read Baekhyun’s message and think about everything that happened today. It seems like a dream, a dream that tastes like cotton candy, a dream that is too sweet to be true. I desperately want this dream to be our reality, I want it to last.

_Great, Baekhyun, have a nice dream (about me) ;)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm so this chapter is from Sehun’s pov, I’m still not convinced this is a narration method I like... I think I could have done better but anyway, at least Sebaek are flirting haha. I hope you like this update, their foreign rendezvous is gonna end soon!


	4. Love Again 02.

✧  
_돌려놓을래 전부  
I’ll put back everything  
난 제자리고 I still love you  
In my position I still love you  
너가 채워주던 내 모든 것들이 떠 있어 마치 balloon  
Everything that you’ve filled me with is floating just like balloon  
그 기억들로 가득해 전부  
Everything full of those memories  
여전히 나는 그대로인데  
As usual I’m still the same _

✧  
The sound of raindrops echos around my room the whole morning, gloominess fills the air in this tiny space. I have been checking my phone at least 50 times since I woke up. No new messages from Baekhyun. _Nothing._

_Is he mad at me?_

Now wide awake after a morning shower, I think about the mistake I made yesterday again. Baekhyun didn’t seem offended at the spot, but what if he was just trying to be polite? My heart sinks further the more I think about it, what if he never talks to me again?

_Hey, have you eaten?_

I text him, a casual question to test his response. Then I wait patiently for his reply, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour... 3 hours is gone and my phone sits still on the table. _Still nothing._

I sigh frustratedly. I know where he lives, maybe I should go and apologise in person again. Just when I am about to take my purse and leave, my phone vibrates and my mood immediately turns 180 degrees after I see the notification.

_Sorry, have been busy practising the whole morning. I had some light lunch with them. Wanna grab a coffee together?_

I almost jump from my couch. I read the message thrice to make sure what I read is real, that he is indeed asking me out.

_I’m asking, for real, not teasing you :P_

Another message comes. I feel so embarrassed, yet, his cuteness washes my worry away instantly.

_Of course, you decide where to go :)_

✧  
We meet up at a coffee shop opposite to the _Albertina_. The coffee shop is located right at the city centre so it is rather busy. Fortunately, we still managed to get a table close to the window.

“You know, I have been dying to come here.” Baekhyun speaks with an exaggerated expression on his face. I’m more than relieved to see him acting like his usual self, I don’t want things to get awkward between us.

“Why?” I ask while flipping the menu. Their desserts and drinks look appealing, no wonder this place is crowded even on a rainy weekday like this.

“I always wanted to try their dessert, but none of my bandmates like sweet thing, they said desserts are for kids.” He rolls his eyes.

“This one, look.” He points to a photo of a pancake-like dish on the menu. “This is the _Kaiserschmarrn_. They call it the ‘ _emperor’s pancake_ ’, it is served in a pan with stewed plums and apple puree. I heard that it is really sweet, but delicious. I wanna try it but apparently I can’t finish one by myself. Can we order this?”

He is looking at me, his anticipative eyes remind me of a puppy asking its owner for food. I smile at him, “sure, whatever you want to eat, I’ll eat with you.”

We chitchat a bit while waiting for the food and drinks. It’s still pouring outside and the sky gets dark quite early. I ask him about his plans for the next couple of days.

“Well, if the weather gets better, we will have our last performance the day after tomorrow. Then, we will wrap things up and return to Korea two days later.” He says, followed by a sigh, “I’m gonna miss Vienna for sure.”

“You can always come back some time later.” I pause for a few seconds, “can I come and watch your performance?”

“Of course, you’re always welcome. I’ll text you the details once confirmed. What about you, any plans?”

“I’m gonna visit my friend in Munich, I’ll stay there for a week before flying back to Korea.” I almost forgot about my friend since Baekhyun is everything I can think of recently.

“That’s nice. Oh, our food is here!” I admire the positive vibes he is radiating, it’s hard not to get energised with his presence. “Wow, this looks so good.”

He dips a small piece of pancake into the apple puree and puts it into his small mouth. He blinks his eyes a few times when he is chewing, “it’s really tasty, you needa try.”

He repeats the same action, dipping the pancake into the plum puree this time but instead of eating it, he mouths an _‘ahhh’_ , asks me to open my mouth and feeds me.

_I don’t think I’m ready for this._

“Taste good?” He asks, then he puts another piece into his mouth, contented expression on his face.

“Yes, nice and sweet.” At this moment, I can’t really distinguish whether I’m referring to the pancake or to Baekhyun himself.

It’s still sheeting down outside by the time we finish our late afternoon dessert. We decide to stay a bit longer to avoid getting all soaked in rain.

“We should find something interesting to talk about.” Baekhyun suggests with a playful smirk.

“For example?” I raise my brow, wondering what he is planning to do.

“Let’s exchange another secret? It has to be one that makes the other _wowww_.” He sounds confident, looks like he already have something in mind.

“Hmmm, alright. Since you suggested this, you should start first.”

Baekhyun takes his mobile out to search for something. “Here it goes, listen.”

The music starts playing, the chords sound like something I’ve heard before, but not exactly the same. I’m trying to recall which song it is, then I hear a familiar voice.

_다시 한번 내게 말해줘  
Please tell me once again  
다시 그날처럼 사랑한다고 해줘  
Tell me again that you love me just like that day _

My jaw drops. It is Baekhyun’s voice, and this is the song I have been using as my ringtone for months. While the song is playing, he is obviously trying hard not to burst into laughter.

The first chorus is over. He presses the _pause_ button and laughs, “surprised?”

“This is _your_ song?” I still refuse to believe it, my favourite song is actually written by him?

“Ahha, that’s right. I composed this song, I also sang the demo. If you check the song credit, you will see B.H., that’s me.” Baekhyun winks. He looks satisfied seeing me in complete shock.

“You didn’t tell me last time you heard my phone ring! You should send me your demo version, it sounds really nice.” My mind is still full of his voice singing _tell me your love again, come back to me again_.

“Tell me your secret first, I’ll send you the demo if your secret makes me _wowww_ as well.”

If he thinks I don’t have anything special to offer, then he is wrong. I take a sip of my tea slowly, ready to see his equally shocked face.

“Our encounter in the coffee shop at _Schleifmühlgasse_ , was not the first time I saw you.” As expected, his eyes widen and his mouth slightly turns into an O shape when he hears this.

“What do you mean?” He asks, confused.

“When I first arrived Vienna, I went to the _Belvedere_ in the afternoon right after I dropped my baggage in the hotel. I saw a good-looking guy in red hoodie sitting in the garden with a guitar, composing song. I was observing him from afar and guess what happened? He fell asleep on the grass after 15 minutes!” Baekhyun’s face reddens, he must have recalled what happened that day.

“The afternoon sun was quite strong so I left an umbrella opened to block off the sunlight. I didn’t want your pretty face to get sunburnt.” I continue, unable to refrain my laughter when I see the shocked expression on his face.

“So... you are the one who left me an umbrella that day.” His rosy cheeks tell me he is decently surprised.

“I swear to myself I am gonna talk to you if we ever meet again. You can’t imagine how excited I was when I saw you again in the coffee shop and you were the one who approached me first. I tried so hard to hide my happiness that day, I felt like I had won the lottery.”

“I... I still can’t believe how this could happen.” He sips his tea again, he is really easy to read, all his little gestures are telling me he is nervous.

“But it _did_. Do you know what was on my mind when I was stealing glances of you in the garden?” I fix my eyes on him, I can’t miss his reaction.

“I think I may have found the real life version of my ideal type.”

Baekhyun grabs his cup of tea three seconds after he put it down, he drains the cup, and keeps sipping it. His ears are all red, and he looks absolutely cute. I giggle and say half-jokingly, “I’m not lying, I really went all out. Now, can I have my reward?”

“Alright, fine, you win.” We both end up cracking up, we are so loud that the couple sitting nearby sends us a deadpan glare.

Later that night, I receive a clip from Baekhyun. It’s his demo version of _Love Again_.

_As promised, but trust me, this song sounds better in live ;)_

I immediately set his song as my ringtone, play it on repeat until I drift off to dreamland. In my dream, the good-looking guy in red hoodie is playing his guitar, singing this soothing song while looking at me, his pretty eyes shining like a pair of diamonds.

✧  
I arrive _Stadtpark_ 20 minutes before the band’s performance. This time, I decide to stand right in front of them, I want to stay close and look at Baekhyun. There is not much time left before he returns to Korea, I definitely don’t want to miss any chance to see him.

Baekhyun is busy setting up the instruments but he still notices me. He waves at me with his sunshine smile, I wave back and mouth a _‘fighting’_.

“Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to our busking session, in fact this is our last performance in Vienna. We are a group of music producers from South Korea who travels to a new city each year to perform. Our group is called 미풍 _(mipung)_ , which are the Korean words for breeze. We will perform a few cover songs followed by our own songs. I hope you will enjoy this session with us. I’m the main vocal, Baekhyun. The tall and handsome guitarist is Chanyeol. Next to him is Jongdae, who plays the keyboard. Last but not least, the most stylish one in silver hair, is our drummer, Shin. We are going to perform the first song together, hope you’ll enjoy it. _Memories_. Please lend us your hands, clap and cheer with us.”

_Here's to the ones that we got  
Cheers to the wish you were here, but you're not  
'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories  
Of everything we've been through_

The audience starts clapping along the rhythm, the atmosphere is even better than last time.

_Toast to the ones here today  
Toast to the ones that we lost on the way  
'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories  
And the memories bring back, memories bring back you_

I stand so close to Baekhyun, our eyes meet a couple of times when he is singing. I smile, recalling how he avoided me all the way when he was performing last time.

The band earns a loud round of applause after this song. Then each member takes turn to perform. Baekhyun isn’t singing, he takes Shin’s seat and starts playing the cajón. I didn’t even pay attention to what songs they are singing, I only have my eyes on Baekhyun.

Half an hour later, it finally comes to the end of the performance. Baekhyun returns to the centre, adjusts his mic and greets the audience again. “Our bandmates are all talented, aren’t they? We are all passionate about music, and are grateful for having this chance to share our songs with all of you. Each performance is unique and special to us. We perform in front of different people, and they all interpret our music in their own way. Thank you very much for staying with us today, each of you is the reason that our performance is special. I’m gonna sing the last song, it’s a song I composed. I hope you’ll like it. _Love Again_ , dedicated to _a special one_ I got to know thanks to this beautiful city.”

My brain is short-circuited after hearing the last sentence. He is singing this song _for me_. He is calling me a special one. _His_ special one.

Baekhyun is staring straight into my soul the whole time, my heart is about to explode. The very first time he attempts to flirt with me, I’m raising the white flag within a minute.

He is absolutely right that this song sounds even better in live. He has perfect control over his voice, his emotions are detailedly crafted but he never overdoes it, he keeps switching his tone to match the lyrics. There is a sudden urge in my mind, that I want him to sing this song for me only, exclusively for me and no one else.

_다시 한번 내게 말해줘  
Tell me one more time  
나를 사랑한다고 해줘  
Tell me that you love me  
Don't leave me alone baby  
Just stay for the night baby  
날 떠나지 않겠다고 말해줘  
Tell me that you won’t leave me _

_Tell me your love again  
Come back to me again  
Tell me your love again  
Come back to me again_

His gaze hardly ever leaves me throughout the song, I feel my eyes glued to him the whole time. He looks confident, stunning and _hot_. As if the original song is not enough, he spontaneously repeats the chorus once more. When he sings the second line, _tell me that you love me_ , he looks at me and winks.

It’s like he is attacking me with a sharp forehead smash, I can almost hear the sound of the ping pong ball dropping onto the floor. And that’s the moment I finally realise, that he, is the _real flirting master_.

Luckily, I still have my final weapon. I rush to the same flower shop after their performance ends to get the bouquet I ordered. They just finish packing everything when I arrive.

“Baek.” He turns around after hearing my voice. “That’s the best song I’ve ever heard, you sound amazing.”

I step closer, give him the flowers and whisper into his ear, “and you’re _my special one_ too.”

As expected, he blushes instantly and murmurs, “thanks, Sehun.”

His friends are all whistling and cheering at the back, he grabs my hand and brings me to a quiet corner of the park.

Now, he is finally taking a thorough look at the bouquet, I chose a bouquet of nine cappuccino roses with one red rose at the centre this time. The owner of the flower shop recognised me and asked if I was picking flowers for the same person who likes champagne roses, then she recommended me cappuccino roses in which the flowers have a very unique colour combination of beige brown and pinkish edge.

“Do you like it?” I ask, judging by the way he fixes his gaze at the bouquet, I know he probably likes it a lot.

“Yes, they look very special... they are so pretty.” Baekhyun can hardly contain his happiness.

“These are called cappuccino roses, even their name is pretty.” I smile. _Pretty things suit you._

“But why is there a red rose at the centre? Do they run out of stock?” He laughs.

“Haha, no.” I lower my head and whisper again, “why don’t you check the meaning of the number of roses like last time?”

He obeys and takes his phone out to look for the answer online. I witness his facial expression changes dramatically, his cheeks are so red that others may think he has just finished a whole bottle of wine by himself.

“Have you found it? What does one single rose mean, huh?” I casually wrap my arm around his waist and ask. He remains silent so I repeat, “come on, tell me.”

“It... it means... _love at first sight_.” He tries to hide his burning face behind the bouquet but I grab his hand and stop him, I need to see his flustered expression.

“And what about nine roses?” I tug him close, feeling the air surrounding us getting hotter and hotter.

“It...” He can hardly speak a complete sentence.

“It means _I want to spend the rest of my life with you_.” I finish the sentence on his behalf, smiling.

There is one whole minute of absolute silence, he just stays still inside my embrace without saying anything. Then, I hear him whispering, “you are so, _so_ annoying.”

“Am I?” I chuckle, “I’m just being honest, and brave.”

“How can you make my heart beat like this every single time? We have known each other for only two weeks and you are already saying you want to...”

“Yes, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” I interrupt him while maintaining our eye contact. The way we look into each other’s eyes is so intimate, it sends chills down my spine.

“Did you hear it clearly? I said, _I - want - to - spend - the - rest - of - my_...” Before I finish repeating the whole sentence, I feel something soft pressing against my lips.

He is _kissing_ me.

Baekhyun, my ideal type, the most flawless human being, the one I have been thinking about the entire time, is _kissing_ me.

He wraps both his arms around my nape and I am completely paralysed. It took me five whole seconds to realise I have been staying motionless like a robot and am barely reacting to his kiss. I immediately tighten my hug while kissing him back, I am not gonna ruin our first kiss like that.

Our kiss is soft and gentle, pure lips to lips, pressing against each other’s at the same pace, no sensual sucking, no biting, no tongues. Yet, it is the most saccharine kiss I have ever experienced. _Is this how it feels to be kissed by an angel?_

Neither of us wants to break the contact, but we can feel the curious stares of the people passing by. I cup his cheeks with both my hands and smooch him once more before breaking our kiss.

“You are such a well-trained flirt.” Baekhyun giggles.

“Said someone who just shut me up with his soft lips, you started it first this time.” I press another soft peck on his forehead.

He raises his head and looks at me, we are so close that we can hear our hearts pounding.

Then, he smiles and asks, “they are waiting for me, do you wanna join us for dinner?”

✧  
Playing Baekhyun’s songs on repeat becomes my new habit when I’m driving, wandering around the city, or simply lying on my bed. I realise, the more I listen to his songs, the more I fall for his voice.

I’m playing _Love Again_ on my way back to the city centre. It has been two days since their last performance, it is also the day Baekhyun and his friends are going back to Korea. I just accompanied them to the airport and bade a temporary farewell to them.

Things happened in these two weeks still doesn’t seem real to me. All our rendezvous in this beautiful city flashes back one by one. This is truly the best healing trip I could ever ask for, indeed, it is far more than just a healing trip.

He didn’t respond to my bold confession, which isn’t really surprising, we are not that close after all. Yet, I’m positive, we have time to make things work between us. For sure, I’m gonna keep asking him out once I return to Korea, but for now, I need to pack and get ready for my short stay in Munich.

I take my phone out after parking my car and text Baekhyun.

_I’m not gonna let you kiss me again next time we meet in Seoul, cos I’ll be the one kissing you first :)_

✧  
How long do you think it takes to fall in love?

I would say, _4 minutes and 12 seconds_ , the time we locked our gaze at each other when he was singing in his mellifluous voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Sebaekists, this story is completed yeahhh, I hope it is relaxing to read? And, about the story didn’t end with them getting together (yet)... maybe it’s me being old-fashioned or what, I believe relationship takes more than 2 weeks to build (still some work for the two after all the cheesy flirting). Perhaps can have a sequel in Seoul in future, I dunno haha. Have a great weekend, and see you in the next story (not so soon though). Thanks for all the comments!!


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